Actions speak louder than words
by vlodgeaandrews
Summary: 2x08 alternate ending. Archie realizes his mistake, with a little help, and does something about it.


After the party, Archie went home helpless. After the night he had, he just wanted to sleep. Once he arrived at his room, he realized going home was not the best idea. His room screamed Veronica, all their moments came to mind and, as if memories were not enough, her blue velvet coat was still at his night stand, from 2 days ago when she left in a hurry after her parents told her they were going to be home soon. Her perfume was still as strong as it was when she was there, or maybe it was his imagination, trying to keep any part of her close. Archie couldn't tell at this point.

He changed his clothes and threw himself at the bed. Nothing but the raven haired girl came to mind. He wasn't getting crazy right? He had the right to be upset with the situation. He loved her, and it sucks not being loved back. But he also thought about her feelings. He was an idiot for forcing her to say it. He realized that now. Does it even mean something if the person doesn't say it spontaneously? Did she even want to say it? Did she even feel it?

Tired of torturing himself, he decided to go downstairs for a bit. When he reached the living room, he jumped. There, laying on the couch like dooms day had arrived, it was his beanie wearing best friend.

"Jug? What are you doing here?" Archie asked getting closer.

"Sorry, I didn't feel like going home and Pop decided to close after midnight ever since he got the call from the Blackhood. So I decided to take advantage of the spare key I still have."

"No, its fine. But are you okay?" Jughead moved his legs out of the couch to make room for his friend.

"Is any one of us okay, ever?" he laughed "I don't know, man. It feels like every time I find some support to do better in life or something, it slips right under my feet, and I'm taking everyone around me down too."

Archie frowned. He knew Blackhood was still out there, and that the Serpent Charmer was no closer of giving Jug a break, even if he denied it so fiercely. Although Jughead was a tough guy, and he had reached rock bottom many times before, Archie had never seen this much darkness surrounding his friend.

"What happened? I mean, besides everything else?" Archie asked.

"I don't want to talk about it, really. What about you? Usually when you go for late night rendez-vous you wear more than just boxers, at least until you're alone with your raven-haired half."

Archie sighed and threw himself deeper into the couch, closing his eyes. "Veronica, yeah, that's the last person who would talk to me right now"

"Why?"

"I don't wanna bother you with my drama, Jug, you've already got to much on your hands."

"Maybe some of my wise words would help solve your lovers quarrel. I need to get my head of my self-inflicted problems anyway."

"I told her I loved her" Archie said, opening up his eyes. Jughead just stared back at him "She didn't say it back. Every time I tried to talk to her about it, she completely shut me out. So at the Whyte Wyrm, I tried so hard to understand her but I don't know, I was such an idiot, Jug. I was angry, I don't know. Then she broke up with me."

Jughead raised his eyebrows in shock and thought about hugging the redheaded guy, but he was not emotionally able to give support in case Archie started crying, and it seemed he was about to. Instead, he put a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't understand. I mean, I do, when I told Betty I loved her, I was afraid too. But it didn't matter if she said it back or not. I just wanted her to know. What I don't understand is why Veronica would break up with you. But I'm not surprised that she avoided talking about it."

"Maybe she doesn't love me. She saw that I was serious and she wasn't up for it, I don't know."

"But you said you were an idiot" Archie put his head between his hands, hoping it would stop hurting. "And judging by the way she walked out of that stage, she was hurting."

"I know. Right before we sang I was mean to her. But I don't wanna think about it, Jughead, we're over."

"Look, Archie, she might not have said anything, but she does love you, or care about you deeply. With all the hurting from your dad's shooting, when you went nuts with the red circle thing, all that, she was right next to you. Hell, even when Betty was being blackmailed, and we did the stupid race. She was there for you. And Veronica had her own problems with her dad and everything, and she still made the effort" He paused, seeing how Archies face had change. "I'm not a Lodge expert, but didn't she even shot a gun to stop your nonsense fight with the Serpents?"

Archie looked surprised at his friend, with a shy smile on his face "How do you know about that?"

"Sweet Pea told me." he said with a grin "Veronica is a tough girl, Archie. But deep down she has issues like every one of us, and judging by her father figure and suspicious mom, I wouldn't say love is something that casually comes around her."

Archie stopped to think as realization hit him. He was so blind. Veronica had stuck with him through it all. All the times he went crazy, when he was in pain because of his father, when he wanted revenge from the Blackhood. She believed him when he told her that her father kinda inspired him for that awful video. She politely but firmly asked him what was going on in his mind, listened and even suggested therapy for heavens sakes. Actions truly do speak louder than words, and he had been a fool to think otherwise.

"You are so right, Jughead. I'm such an idiot, why do I keep hurting everybody that I care about?"

"Welcome to my world." he grinned, but his eyes showed that he didn't find it funny at all.

"I should go talk to her." Archie said standing up, heading to his room.

"Archie, it's literally 3am. If the Blackhood doesn't find you, Hiram Lodge will before you can even set foot at the Pembrooke."

"You're right."

Jug just nodded.

"Well, I think I'm going to try and get some sleep. Maybe my head will be well enough to talk to Ronnie tomorrow."

"One last thing: how come Veronica had a gun?" Jughead asked the question that was on his head ever since the talk with Sweet Pea.

"It was mine, I had asked her to fetch it for me. I was way over my head." Archie said, passing a hand through his hair.

"Where did you hide it?"

"Inside a toilet, at the boys locker room at school."

"So you're telling me that Veronica Lodge, our very own New York princess, put her manicured hand inside a toilet at the boys dirty locker room? At school, after dark?"

"She sure did, while wearing a cape" Archie chuckled.

"And you still had any doubt about her feelings for you?" Jug smiled and took his beanie off while laying on the couch. Archie took this as his cue to leave him be.

"Thanks for the talk, Jug. Whenever you're ready to talk about you, I'm here."

"Yeah, yeah"

Archie went back to his room with a clear mind. He had to talk to Veronica. He wanted to do it in person though. He was not about to screw up again. So, with an apology speech in mind and the image of Ronnie smiling in bed engraved in his brain, he fell asleep.

The next morning, Archie was thinking about the best place to talk. If he texted her asking to meet somewhere, he knew she wouldn't come. So, the best option, oddly, was going to the Pembrooke, and he would only leave if Hiram Lodge himself dragged him out of there.

Veronica woke up with a heavy feeling on her chest. She spent hours crying before her tears put her to sleep. She would need many face masks and at least a week of good sleep to get rid of the dark circles under her eyes.

Her first thought was calling Archie, telling him to come over because her parents would be out all morning, or suggest breakfast at Pop's. Then it hit her again. Tears came back to her eyes and she blinked to avoid them. She thought to herself that no, she would only hurt him more if they kept their relationship. _Or you could admit to him and yourself that you love him_ , a little voice told her in the back of her mind.

She went to the bathroom to wash her face, then to the kitchen to help herself to a nice cup of coffee. When she came back to her room, she was greeted by her beeping phone.

 _Ronnie, I_ _'_ _m downstairs. Can we talk?_

 _I'_ _m in front of the Pembrook_

 _Please don_ _'_ _t ignore me, Veronica._

 _Are u there?_

 _Go home, Archie_ she answered

 _No._

 _Please, just leave, my parents are here_

 _No they_ _'_ _re not, I saw them on a car on my way here_

Just my luck, she thought to herself. Maybe if they did talk, they could work things out, be friends at least. She was hurting so badly, she didn't know if she could face him. But she also knew Archie Andrews, and he would climb the building if he had to. She went to the intercom and told the doorman who shared shifts with Andre to let him in.

Not even a couple minutes later, she heard the doorbell. Drinking a huge sip of her fresh coffee, she went to open the door. When she saw him, messy hair and dark circles, wearing his typical Archie jeans-and-letterman-jacket, she felt her heart sink. She stepped aside to give him space to enter the apartment.

"Archie, what are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, Ronnie. I truly am." He started, reaching for her, but she took a step back.

"You pressured me, and you were rude to me, and I do not think you understand me at all." she said, trying to look anywhere that was not him.

"I know that. I had no right to do it. What I said was stupid, I was just insecure and hurting. It doesn't justify my behavior but I'm truly sorry."

Veronica went around the couch and put her mug on the coffee table, sitting on the couch. Archie followed and sat close enough to be intimate but far enough to give her space. _Incredible_ , he though, staring at her wearing silk pajamas sitting at her living room. _She is beautiful_. But he knew that already. And he also knew that the hurting in her shiny brown eyes were his fault.

"I warned you I did not have the bandwidth to explore anything when we first started this, Archie. I don't know if I can give you what you want."

"I want you, Ronnie. It was my mistake and it kills me that I hurt you. I know that."

"But it's my problem too, Archie!" she exclaimed, looking into his eyes for the first time since he arrived "I have problems, commitment issues, I don't know how to call it. But I do know that I'm not going to keep you on hold while I have to figure myself out."

"I'm not on hold, Veronica. I'm here because I want to be. Because I love you. And I'd be happy to be there helping anyway I can, taking things on your time" Archies voice was a cry for help, there was so much hurting and kindness in his tone, all at the same time. "I was wrong on pressuring you. But I was angry too, I wanted to talk to you about it!"

"And I didn't let you! Because that's what I do, Archie!" Veronica answered, quickly standing up "I push people away, I even push myself away because I don't want to deal with my own feelings"

Archie didn't know what to say. Or do. He wished he could do something for her, to take this weight of off her. But he didn't know how. What he could do, though, was hold her. And that's what he did. He stood up and just embraced her. She started crying, shaking, in a way he had never seen before. In that moment, he realized he was only kept whole since this whole mess started, because she was the one holding the pieces together. And now, he finally realized he had to step up too. So he wrapped his arms around her, as strong as he could.

Veronica felt embarrassed. The only time anyone had seen her have a breakdown was Betty at school, and she promised she would never let anyone see her like that again. But the point was, Archie was not anyone. Even though he had messed up, she understood him. And now, here in his arms, she felt like she was being understood too. She felt safe, she knew she could trust him. She was loyal and he was impulsive, yes. But they were not like her parents, and that was the moment she realized that.

"I'm sorry, Ronnie, for everything. But I'm here for you okay? You can try to push me away but I'm not going anywhere."

"Stealing my lines now, Archiekins?" she asked with a half smile, and Archie had never been so happy to hear the nickname he learned to love, because it was from her. He brushed his thumbs on her cheeks, wiping the tears and holding her close.

"It's my turn to be there for you, Ronnie. I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner." he said, kissing her. He still wasn't used to kiss her barefoot. Since she always had at least 3 inch heels, he was constantly forgetting how small she actually was. But the kiss was passionate, and he wondered how the hell could he have let her go, even if the break up lasted less than 12 hours. But with her hands on his hair and his hands on her back, everything felt right. Like always, with her things always felt like they were going to be just fine.

"So, are we good?" Archie asked hopefully.

"Yes" she said with a shy but sweet smile on her face.

"Can we please talk more, though? I understand you need space, and there's somethings we need to figured it out ourselves too"

"I don't really like talking feelings"

"I know that Ronnie but look what it brought us. Just try to okay? Communication is priority."

"Sure, Oprah. I'll try my best, just because you're cute." they both smiled and with that, the conversation was over. If she was joking around, it was a good sign.

Archie lied on the couch pulling Veronica with him. Archie kept making circles with his fingers on her back, while her body was almost completely on top of him, and their hands intertwined. They stayed like that for a while, enjoying each others company and trying to cool their heads after one crazy of a night.

"Wanna go to Pop's? I could eat some fries now" Archie asked while Veronica lifted her head to face him.

"Sure, but I need a shower and extra time to do my make up. There's no way I'm going out with this face."

She stood quickly and ran to her room, leaving Archie alone with his thoughts in the living room. He thought about joining her, but he wanted to give her space, make her feel comfortable around him, just like before. He also made a self note to thank Jughead, he's not usually a good-advice giver, but this time he owed him one. And most of all, the thought that stuck in his mind until his girlfriend was ready to leave, was how lucky he was that Veronica Lodge let him be a part of her life.


End file.
